Semiautomatic weapon

ABSTRACT

A semiautomatic weapon with a grip, a breech block and a hammer which is arranged rotatably about a hammer axis, wherein the position of the hammer axis relative to the grip can be varied.

The invention relates to a semiautomatic weapon with a grip, a housingor the like, a breech block and a hammer which is arranged rotatablyabout a hammer axis.

Semiautomatic weapons are known and obtainable on the market in manyforms and designs. They are distinguished in that, after the shot, anempty case of the cartridge is ejected as a result of the recoil and anew cartridge is inserted into the barrel, the hammer simultaneouslybeing cocked as a result of a return of the breech block during ejectionand reloading. Semiautomatic weapons of this type are used in allpossible types of weapon, primarily in pistols and long-barrelledweapons. However, the invention is not restricted to these, but can beused in all semiautomatic weapons.

The semiautomatic weapons, in which projectiles accelerated bypropellent gases are driven out of the barrel, generate recoil pulseswhich feel unpleasant and which are to be counteracted. Mention must bemade primarily of two recoil pulses which, for example, make a pistolawkward to handle. These are, on the one hand, the firing pin cockingjolt and, on the other hand, the breech block impact jolt. Whereas thelatter does not have such an adverse effect, since the projectile hasalready left the barrel, the firing pin cocking jolt, however, has ahighly adverse effect on the accuracy of the shot. At the moment of thefiring pin cocking jolt, the projectile is still located in the barrel,so that the pulse energy of the firing pin cocking jolt, said pulseenergy being transmitted, for example, to the grip of a pistol, resultsin a deviation of the shot.

On the other hand, the recoil pulses which occur are not distributeduniformly in time, which precisely makes larger calibers difficult tocontrol and, moreover, fatigues the firer.

Previous attempts to compensate this firing pin cocking jolt wererestricted essentially to changes to the grip casing (Ruger) which, bymeans of a special mounting, are intended to make an elastic connectionwith the grip and thus damp the recoil.

In further tests, buffer elements, for example on the principle of thepneumatic spring, are used in the region of the closing spring, but thephysical possibilities of these arrangements are greatly restrictedpurely and simply by low masses and therefore negligible energyabsorption possibilities, so that, even when all the previouspossibilities are utilized, a damping of the pulse peaks which occur ispossible only in the ranges in which the projectile has already left thebarrel. However, since the time between the firing of the shot and theexit of the projectile from the barrel is precisely the critical factorfor the maximum attainable accuracy, but previous systems do not coverthis range, known measures which have been executed are inadequate.

The object on which the present invention is based is to equalize therecoil pulse distribution as far as possible and, in particular, tocounteract the firing pin cocking jolt pulse.

To achieve this object, the position of the firing pin axis relative tothe grip and/or the position of the firing pin relative to its firingpin axis can be varied.

The essential feature of the present invention is that the firing pincan to a restricted extent shift aside from the returning breech block,so that the cocking of the firing pin is delayed, so that the projectilehas already left the barrel when the cocking of the firing pin takesplace. At the same time, the breech block no longer strikes the firingpin abruptly in order to cock it, so that the firing pin cocking joltpulse is substantially minimized and equalized. The same also applies tothe breech block impact jolt.

The total pulse occurring during the recoil is expanded in time anddistributed uniformly. As long as the projectile has not yet left themuzzle, a very low pulse energy acts, for example, on the grip of apistol. This makes extremely accurate firing possible.

Many possibilities are conceivable for taking sufficient account of theidea of the invention. Only preferred exemplary embodiments will bedescribed below.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an additional middle pieceis arranged between the grip, the housing or the like and the breechblock, this middle piece being displaceable relative to the grip andrelative to the breech block counter to the firing direction. Themovement of this middle piece is to be damped in any way. However, sincethe hammer axis is located in this middle piece, a damped compliance ofthis middle piece at the same time also brings about the desired delayof the firing pin cocking jolt and its equalization.

For example, the trigger guard, which, as is known, is of curved andspring-like design, could be considered as a damping element. If thistrigger guard engages into a recess of the middle piece or is otherwiseconnected to the middle piece, the return force inherent in the triggerguard can be used for damping the movement of the middle piece.

However, the middle piece can also be supported relative to the grip viaany force accumulators. Simple helical springs, but also other dampingelements, could be considered as force accumulators.

If desired, the middle piece can also be of multipart design, theindividual parts being supported relative to one another via dampingelements, especially springs.

Preferably, the middle pieces, grips and breech block are coupled to oneanother by means of corresponding rail elements, so that the relativemovement of the individual elements in or counter to the firingdirection remains possible.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the idea is to mountthe hammer axis in a long hole, the hammer axis being displaceable inthis long hole counter to a return element. Conversely to this, thehammer has a bearing bore, into which a fixed hammer axis engages, thebearing bore being designed as a long hole.

Both embodiments are equivalent and afford results which have the sameeffect.

So that the hammer axis is displaceable in the long hole, this long holeis to be arranged in a direction which runs at approximately 90° to 270°relative to the firing direction. During the return of the breech block,therefore, a displacement of the hammer axis relative to the breachblock takes place.

When the breech block returns to its initial position again, the hammeraxis or the firing pin is also to follow this movement. For thispurpose, separate return elements can be provided. However, it is alsoexpedient to use, here, the already existing hammer cocking spring forcocking the hammer.

In addition to the possibilities just mentioned, it is also conceivablefor the hammer axis to be mounted in a separate trigger housing. Thiscan then, in turn, be arranged displaceably or in any way movably in thegrip, the housing or the like. Many possibilities are conceivable hereand are covered by the present invention.

An exemplary embodiment which is also to be particularly described isthe eccentric arrangement of the hammer axis. This means that, duringthe return of the breech block, the hammer axis rotates about a fixedpoint, a variation in the position of the hammer taking placesimultaneously. For the sake of simplicity, in this exemplaryembodiment, the hammer axis can be arranged on a crank which is then, inturn, assigned return elements for rotating it back into an initialposition.

On account of the above-mentioned measures, a uniform distribution overtime of the recoil pulses which occur and an expansion of the activepulse time are obtained, thus affording considerable relief to thefirer. Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to use ammunition ofsubstantially higher momentum, the use of which was greatly restricted,especially in previous hand weapons, by the natural stress limits of thefirer and of the weapon.

However, the essential advantage of the invention is the displacement ofthe pulse maximum to a moment when the projectile has already left thebarrel, thus resulting in a considerable increase in the accuracy of theshot.

Further advantages in terms of construction and production arise, sincethe grip can be produced as a plastic injection molding, thus resultingin a reduction in the production costs and weapon weight.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge fromthe following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and withreference to the drawing in which

FIG. 1 shows a force/time diagram for semiautomatic weapons;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a semiautomatic weapon according to theinvention;

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the semiautomatic weapon according to FIG.2;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of a further exemplary embodiment of asemiautomatic weapon according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic representation of the arrangement of a guidefor a hammer;

FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic top view of a hammer with an associatedhammer spring;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a side view and a front view, respectively, of aneccentric hammer axis according to the invention.

According to FIG. 1, an unbroken line 1 represents a force/time diagram1 for a conventional semiautomatic weapon without damping. The brokenline 2 shows a force/time diagram 2 for a semiautomatic weapon accordingto the invention with damping.

All weapons, in which projectiles accelerated by propellant gases aredriven out of a barrel, generate recoil pulses which are dependent onthe mass of the weapon, the mass of the projectile, the mass of thepropellant charge and the projectile velocity achieved. These recoilpulses are clearly recognizable from the peaks in the line 1.

They relate, on the one hand, to a hammer cocking jolt 3 which occurswhen a breech block strikes the hammer. This is followed, inrecoil-operated guns with a short barrel return, by a barrel releasejolt 4. The last pulse peak constitutes a breech block impact jolt 5caused by an impact of the breech block at the point of its maximumpossible return.

The vertical line 6 indicates the moment when the projectile leaves themuzzle of the semiautomatic weapon. This moment is between the firingpin cocking jolt 3 and the barrel release jolt 4, so that the hammercocking jolt 3 is transmitted to a grip, housing or the like at a momentwhen the projectile has not yet left the barrel.

In a first exemplary embodiment of the invention according to FIGS. 2and 3, a middle piece 9 is inserted in a semiautomatic weapon R betweena grip 7 and the breech block 8. This middle piece 9 is guided relativeto the grip 7 by rails 10.1 and 10.2, these rails 10.1 and 10.2 being ofclip-like design and engaging into corresponding guide grooves 11.1 and11.2 on the middle piece 9. The middle piece 9 is thereby mounteddisplaceably relative to the grip 7 counter to the firing direction A.Other axial guides are also known and conceivable and come with thescope of the present invention.

The middle piece 9 forms, in turn, guide grooves 12.1 and 12.2, intowhich strips 13.1 and 13.2 on the breech block 8 engage, so that thebreech block 8, in turn, is mounted displaceably relative to the middlepiece 9 in the axial direction A.

Located in the breech block 8 are a barrel 14, removable if appropriate,and a known return spring, not shown in any more detail, for the breechblock.

Furthermore, FIG. 2 indicates a hammer axis at 15 and a hammer at 16.The hammer axis 15 is located in the middle piece 9, so that said hammeraxis and, together with it, the hammer 16 can shift aside to the rearcounter to the firing direction A.

A magazine 17 can also be seen in the grip 7. Furthermore, a trigger 18is surrounded by a trigger guard 19. In the present exemplary embodimentthis trigger guard axis is connected to the grip 7 via a pivot 20. Atthe same time, the trigger guard 19 can be fixed in a desired lockingposition in a way not shown in any more detail.

In the locking position, the trigger guard 19 engages with a free endinto a recess 21 in the middle piece 9 and forms a resilient abutmentagainst a return of the middle piece 9 counter to the firing directionA. However, this is only one conceivable possibility which the presentinvention is to include. However, all other possibilities for springingthe return of the middle piece 9 come within the scope of the invention.In the present exemplary embodiment, two further possibilities are alsoindicated.

In the first of the other possibilities, the middle piece 9 is supportedvia a spring 22 inside the grip 7 against a stop 23. However, aresilient support of this type can also be provided at any other pointof the middle piece 9.

A further possibility is to design the middle piece in two parts. Inthis case, a front middle piece part 9a is supported via a furtherspring 24 against a rear middle piece part 9b, the axis for the hammer16 also being arranged in this rear middle piece part 9b.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the semiautomatic weapon R1according to FIGS. 4 to 7, the hammer 16 is arranged in such a way thatit can to a limited extent shift aside from a hammer cocking jolt of thebreech block 8. In this case, according to the invention, the hammeraxis 15 is mounted in a long hole 25 in the grip 7. This long hole 25insures that the hammer axis 15 can shift aside to the rear,specifically, according to FIG. 5, within a range of 90° to 270° inrelation to the firing direction A, preferably at an angle of 100° to260°.

If the long hole 25 is arranged at an angle of between 90° and 180°,there is no need for an additional element for returning this hammeraxis 15 into the initial position, since this return is performed by ahammer spring 26 itself which acts on the hammer 16 in a known way inthe force direction B according to FIG. 6. After the cocking of thehammer 16, the hammer spring 26, also causes the hammer to be drivenforward towards the detonating element of the cartridge. Moreover, FIG.6 indicates the hammer 16 in its cocking position and, by a broken line,in the uncocked position.

Instead of displacement in a long hole, an eccentric mounting of thehammer axis according to FIGS. 7A and 7B in a crank 27 is alsoconceivable. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7A, two tabs 28.1 and 28.2are fastened laterally to the hammer axis 15 and hold the hammer axis 15between them at one end. At the other end, they have bearing journals29.1 and 29.2 which engage into corresponding recesses in the grip 7. Assoon as the breech block runs back, the hammer 16 shifts aside as aresult of the rotation of the crank 27, as represented by the arrow 30in FIG. 7B. A return takes place via corresponding return elements notshown in any more detail, such as, for example, a spring.

It can be seen clearly in FIG. 1, from the line 2 representing theforce/time diagram of a semiautomatic weapon according to the invention,that the recoil pulses and especially the hammer cocking jolt pulse aredamped quite substantially. This is a very important advantage of thepresent invention.

I claim:
 1. A semiautomatic weapon with a grip, a breech block and ahammer which is arranged rotatably about a hammer axis, and means forvarying the position of the hammer axis relative to the grip so that thehammer axis is displaceable relative to the breech block.
 2. Asemiautomatic weapon with a grip, a breech block and a hammer which isarranged rotatably about a hammer axis, including means for varying theposition of the hammer axis relative to the grip and the position of thehammer relative to its hammer axis so that the hammer axis isdisplaceable relative to the breech block.
 3. A semiautomatic weaponwith a grip, a breech block and a hammer which is arranged rotatablyabout a hammer axis, wherein the hammer axis is mounted in a long hole,the position of the hammer relative to its hammer axis in said long holebeing variable, wherein the long hole runs at an angle of 90° to 270°counter to the firing direction (A).
 4. The semiautomatic weapon asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the hammer axis is arranged in a middlepiece between the grip, and the breech block, the middle piece beingdisplaceable relative to the grip and relative to the breech blockcounter to a firing direction.
 5. The semiautomatic weapon as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the movement of said middle piece counter to the firingdirection (A) is damped.
 6. The semiautomatic weapon as claimed in claim5, wherein a trigger guard engages into a recess in the middle piece. 7.The semiautomatic weapon as claimed in claim 5, wherein the middle pieceis supported relative to the grip via a force accumulator.
 8. Thesemiautomatic weapon as claimed in claim 5, wherein the middle piececonsists of at least two middle piece parts which are supported relativeto one another via force accumulators.
 9. The semiautomatic weapon asclaimed in claim 5, wherein the middle piece is guided in the grip andthe breech block is guided relative to the middle piece axially.
 10. Thesemiautomatic weapon as claimed in claim 3, wherein a return element isassigned to one of the hammer and the hammer axis.
 11. The semiautomaticweapon as claimed in claim 10, wherein the return element is a hammerspring.
 12. The semiautomatic weapon as claimed in claim 1, wherein thehammer axis is mounted in a trigger housing and the latter is mounteddisplaceably in the grip.
 13. The semiautomatic weapon as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the hammer axis is displaceable in a direction counterto the firing direction.